Recipe: Prawn Dogs (aka Shrimp Puppies) with Creole Cocktail Sauce

Growing up in Georgia, whenever served fish or seafood there would always be a heap of hushpuppies on the side. The best way to sum up a hushpuppy is to describe it as a deep fried cornbread doughnut hole. Yeah, over the top and really yummy … and a particularly awesome accompaniment to most fishy dishes.

My own mad creation, is the prawn dog, a lighter version of these down home treats that combines the seafood dish and its starchy side into one ultimate finger food item. Essentially a corn muffin with a prawn tail sticking out of it, prawn dogs (or shrimp puppies if you prefer) are a fun to serve at parties or for snacking while watching a movie or catching a game on TV. They’re a great dish to make with and serve to kids as well (maybe you can call them “dragon tail muffins” or something like that).

PRAWN DOGS WITH CREOLE COCKTAIL SAUCE

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Prawn Dog/Shrimp Puppy Ingredients (12 single servings)

12 king prawns (with their tails still in the shell);
500ml of fine cornmeal;
250ml plain white flour;
1 tablespoon baking powder;
2 tablespoons of ground coriander;
1 tablespoon of oregano (fresh and finely chopped is definitely best);
1 tablespoon of sage (fresh and finely chopped is best);
1 tablespoon of celery salt;
1 tablespoon black pepper;
1 clove of finely diced garlic;
250ml of grated Cheddar (I like extra mature);
500ml of whole milk;
12-24 sliced green jalapeños pieces (I used Old El Paso brand);
2 tablespoons of the vinegar from the jar of jalapeños;
250ml cup of corn kernels (drained from a tin or freshly boiled);
2 eggs;
50ml honey;
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil;
2 tablespoons of paprika (I like the bittersweet “agridulce” smoked variety).

Creole Cocktail Sauce Ingredients

400g chopped tomatoes from a can;
200g passata;
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce;
Juice from half of a lemon;
Juice from ¼ of a lime;
2 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce;
1 tablespoon of celery salt;
1 tablespoon of black pepper;
1 clove of finely diced garlic;
2 tablespoons of grated horseradish (or a few horseradish cream to taste);
200g of finely chopped celery.

Method for the Prawn Dogs

Preheat oven to 220º C (425º F);
De-shell your prawns except for the end bit on the tail – set aside in the fridge or somewhere dark and cool;
Place the cornmeal, flour and baking powder in a large bowl – mix thoroughly;
Add the ground coriander, oregano, sage, celery salt, black pepper and garlic – mix well;
Add the Cheddar – mix again leaving a well in the centre of your bowl;
Pour in the jalapeño vinegar and half the milk into the well – mix thoroughly smoothing out any clumps;
Pour in the rest of the milk aiming toward any dry spots in the batter;
Add the honey and corn – mix again;
Add one lightly whisked egg – mix thoroughly one more time ensuring all ingredients are evenly distributed;
Coat the bottom of your muffin tray with a thin layer of vegetable oil (or cooking spray or butter);
Spoon the batter into the muffin tray’s cups;
Bake the muffins for about 5 minutes;
While the muffins are cooking, crack another egg into a bowl and lightly whisk it;
Take the muffins out of the oven and let sit for a couple of minutes;
One at a time, lightly dip each prawn into the bowl of egg and firmly but gently put each one into a muffin with the tail sticking out (I use a butter knife to help secure each prawn in its muffin);
Sprinkle the paprika on top of the muffins;
Slide a slice of pickled jalapeño around each tail (this should help the tail to stand up);
Place the muffins back in the oven and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until they start to brown on top;
Let sit for around 10 minutes covered with a tea towel;
While the prawn dogs are baking, you’ll have plenty of time to make your cocktail sauce.

Method for the Creole Cocktail Sauce

Essentially all you’ve got to do for the sauce is put all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly. For best results, start with the chopped tomatoes, passata and the rest of the liquids then add the seasoning and solid bits. Place in the fridge until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh oregano and sage if you have any leftover (or maybe some parsley, coriander and/or basil if you’ve got some).

Serve

Serve your prawn dogs as a finger food with the cocktail sauce as a dip alongside some lime wedges. Pluck the prawn out first or save it as the “prize” at the end.

You can also serve the muffin in a bowl “swimming” in the sauce like it’s soup.

If planning to serve the dogs as part of a larger meal, I recommend coleslaw, green salad, fries, fried okra, succotash or roasted corn as complementary dishes. Prawn dogs would be a sure hit at any BBQ or fish fry too – either as a starter or as a side.

The cocktail sauce on its own is a great one for all kinds of dishes, including raw prawns, celery or any sort of chip or cracker that you might normally eat with ketchup or salsa.